There’s a certain pair of my high heels that Maggie keeps stealing.
The four inch ones.
Dark brown.
Peep toe.
With silver studs.
I often catch her clunking around the house with them on. It always annoys me. And I snap at her. I tell her to stop. To leave my shoes alone.
Because shoes are supposed to stay in the mud room!
Because she could ruin them!
Because they’re my shoes and I already share my entire life with them – must I share my shoes too!
Because shoes in the house lead to a bunny trail of sand, dirt and clutter strewn everywhere!
Because I get exhausted picking up after kids every minute of the day!
This morning while the kids were packing their school snack, I walked into Maggie’s room to turn her fan off.
And tripped over those dang high heels.
The high heels that were in the mud room yesterday.
The high heels my six year old wears while playing pretend.
And I heard Maggie and Jack out in the kitchen helping Juli pack snack, even though she doesn’t attend school. Because they know she wants to be included.
And I hear the words of my daughter ringing in one ear: “Because I want to be like you, mommy!”
And I hear the words of my mother ringing in the other: “You’re raising a human. Not a house.”
So I turned off her fan.
And walked out the door.
Someday, maybe I’ll borrow her cute shoes too.

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